Nocturne, `Forrest Vineyard` Wilyabrup Chardonnay

Julian Langworthy, the man behind Nocturne, is one of Australia’s brightest winemaking talents. Born and raised in Margaret River, Julian made his name working for well-established wineries in Western Australia. He has won countless awards and trophies in the process, including two of Australia’s most cherished titles, the Jimmy Watson Trophy in 2014 and Halliday’s Best Winemaker in 2019.

Nocturne is Julian’s solo venture. He creates small quantities of Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon from exceptional sites, highlighting the distinct qualities of Margaret River’s Treeton, Wallcliffe, Wilyabrup and Yallingup sub-regions. They are made with minimal intervention, or ‘careful neglection’ as Julian describes it, with indigenous yeast fermentation and no fining. What began as a side hustle in 2010 has grown to become one of Australia’s most exciting producers. Highly sought after and in short supply, the Nocturne wines sell out every year soon after release.

The Chardonnays are whole bunch pressed and lees aged for nine months in puncheon before bottling. The ‘Treeton’ Chardonnay hails from the only landlocked sub-region of Margaret River. Treeton has warm days, cool nights and deep sandy soils, which produce Chardonnay with excellent natural acidity and finesse. The ‘Forrest Vineyard’ Chardonnay is sourced from a small ridge in the middle of the ‘Forrest Vineyard’ in Wilyabrup. It is wonderfully expressive, with a flinty, saline character and abundant stone fruit on the palate. New to our list is the ‘Wilson Vineyard’ Chardonnay, made from a single site in Wallcliffe. It displays notes of blossom and white nectarine alongside Nocturne’s hallmark minerality and tension.

Both Cabernet Sauvignon wines are made from Julian’s pride and joy, his own four-hectare ‘Sheoak Vineyard’. Located in Yallingup, the most northerly and warmest sub-region of Margaret River, these vines are planted on deep, gravel soils and are moderated by fresh Indian Ocean breezes. A small amount of Merlot and Malbec from the neighbouring estate is used in the ‘Yallingup’ Cabernet to add generosity to the mid-palate. It is medium-bodied with vibrant red fruit characters and silky tannins. The ‘Sheoak Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon shows why this grape is king in Margaret River. It is a highly complex and perfumed wine, with crunchy cranberry flavours complementing notes of cassis and cedar.